The Love of Two Wolves
by Goddess Night
Summary: Midna unexpectantly returns to the Light Realm.  Not that she's complaining...  And she finally gets to see Link again! But when they are both placed under a curse by the not-so-dead Zant, can they still love each other? Or will their duty get in the way?
1. Prologue and Chapter 1

**The Love of Two Wolves**

**~Prologue~**

With the sickening sound of metal through flesh, Link drove the Master Sword into Ganondorf's stomach. A small, and barely audible groan escaped from Ganon's lips before he collapsed, his eyes rolling back into his head and deeply tanned skin growing pale.

With a gasp, the Gerudo King died, his eyes still open and the Sage's Sword tumbling from his hand, landing on the grass with a soft thud.

With a sigh, Link picked up his bloodied sword and sheathed it with a quiet 'shik'. Hyrule would finally be at peace, at least for a time. It was over.

Out of respect, even after what this despicable man had done to Hyrule and the Twilight Realm, Link leaned down and gently shut his eyes.

Even the King of Evil himself must sleep, and not die a cursed death.

"Link…" Slowly, the young Hero looked up at the face of a woman with long brown hair and blue eyes. "I'm sorry for what you had to go through… and I must thank you for everything. Hyrule may finally be at peace."

"No thanks needed, Princess." Link said, standing up and trying in vain to wipe dirt off of his face.

With a start, he remembered something.

Was it something? No - it was someone. His friend, ally, and incredibly sarcastic impish princess that had helped him in more ways than one. She was dead.

"Midna…" he mumbled, shaking his head and putting it into his hands. "Midna… no!" Zelda realized what he was saying and gasped.

"Link, I'm sorry…" she put a gloved hand on his shoulder, but he didn't feel it. He felt nothing now, memories of that day flashing through his head. With a gasp, he fell to his knees and clutched his aching head. Midna…

"_Link! You need to get out of here!" she shouted over Ganon's thunderous roars. He was transforming back into his usual Gerudo self, and he was obviously in pain, but sometimes, that could make a person more powerful._

"_Midna, we can't leave you here!" He'd shouted. Midna opened a portal below Link and Zelda._

"_I'm sorry Link…" she said. Turning to Ganondorf, the summoned as much power as she could muster._

"_Mid-" And then everything was gone, replaced by Hyrule field. I could see Hyrule castle in the distance. "NO!"_

_The castle exploded with a crash, rubble flying to even where they stood, miles away. Link dropped to his knees, and Zelda bowed her head, a tear streaking her face._

_The only thing that pulled Link out of his mourning, was a loud laugh from behind. He turned, and gasped. Midna failed, and Ganondorf was holding his prize._

_Midna's headpiece…_

"_How do you feel now, __**Hero?**__" Ganondorf asked with a grin._

"_You monster!" Zelda shouted. "How could you?" The Gerudo didn't reply, but crushed the headpiece and dropped it onto the grass at Link's feet._

"_Now Link… It's your turn!"_

"Link!" Zelda shouted, shaking him by the shoulders.

"Huh? What?" He asked, snapping out of the memory and trying to focus.

"Link! Look!" The Princess pointed to a small hill across the field. The green-clad hero turned dazedly in that direction.

The four light spirits; Ordona, Faron, Eldin, and Lanayru; could be seen as glowing orbs againsed the dusk sky. A small black dot was barely visible through the green grass.

"What…?" Zelda began to ask, but Link was already running ahead. "Well that was rude!" Zelda muttered to herself, mostly to keep herself from crying than anything.

Link was almost to the hill, breathing hard and gasping for every breath, when a sudden light made him pause to shield his eyes.

When the light died away, Link dared to look. On the hill, standing tall and proud, was Midna. No longer an imp, Link realized just how beautiful she was.

He _was _a bit intimidated, however, by the fact that she had to be at least a foot taller than him, but even that wouldn't do her justice.

Midna looked at him and smiled kindly. "Am I so beautiful you have no words left, Link?" He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. His throat was too tight.

He blushed instead. Midna giggled and walked up to him. He looked up at her, craning his neck back.

"You're tall…" he managed. Looking down at her Hero, she couldn't help but laugh.

He was just so short! Even compared to everyone else in Hyrule.

Without warning, he hugged her. She knelt a bit and returned it.

"Midna?" Zelda asked from nearby, hiking up her skirts so she could run. "You're alive!" she cried. Midna thought for a moment.

"Let me see… hair, skin, pulse, me talking… yup! I'm alive." She released her grip on Link, who blushed and looked at the ground. Zelda gazed at the Twilian with awe.

"You're so tall!" she said.

"So I've been told." Midna replied. Then she frowned and bit her lip, looking at Link sadly. "Link…" He looked up smiling, but it instantly disappeared when he saw the look on her face. "You do realize that… well, I have to go back to my own realm. I-… I can't stay here…" Link looked at her with shock, maybe even betrayal, but managed to keep himself from crying out.

"What? But Midna…"

"I'm sorry Link. I have a kingdom to rule, and you…" She stopped for a moment. Could he survive in the Twilight Realm for more than a few days? She didn't know, but for some reason… she didn't think it was right. "I'm sorry…" She snapped her fingers, and they were suddenly in the Mirror Chamber, in the far eastern side of The Gerudo Desert. The sun was setting, and it turned the sand various shades of pink, but for such an occasion, it seemed as though the Goddesses were trying to make things seem more grim.

"Midna…" Link started.

"Link, please don't make this harder than it has to be. You are needed here, and I need to fix my realm." Midna choked on her next words. "I-… I love you." She turned to the Mirror, a tear streaking her face before glowing green and floating in front of her face. Link watched sadly, but he knew she was right. "Link… never forget that there's another world bound to this one."

She thrust her hand out, putting her palm on the glowing tear and pushing it towards the Mirror of Twilight. It cracked on contact.

"Midna!" Link cried as he jerked forward, grabbing her hand before she could take a step towards the mirror. She smiled sadly and looked into his bright blue eyes. She would miss those eyes… his light brown hair and stupid green hat. His long Hylian ears and kind personality.

All of it would be gone from her life.

"Link, I…" What could she say? Her eyes filled with tears when the Mirror of Twilight cracked further. "See you later." Then she ripped her hand from his and disappeared.

"Midna!" Link wailed. He fell to his knees and began sobbing. Zelda, unsure of what she could do to comfort the young Hero, simply stood there.

A full day they sat there, no food or water. Few words were spoken. Link was too shaken for average conversation.

He was sick…

Lovesick.

The worst illness a person can possibly have, and few recover from it.

About midday the next day, Link stood and looked out over the dessert, eyes swollen and fatigue obvious in his movements. Zelda watched him before joining him.

"It's not what she wanted, you know." Zelda said. Link closed his eyes. "She didn't want to leave." Link waited a moment before responding for the first time.

"I know why she did it, but… Zelda, it doesn't hurt any less." Zelda looked at him sympathetically.

"I know Link… I know…" Her gaze turned from the desert to his face, which was covered in silent tears again. "She knew the consequences, but she wouldn't have wanted to see you like this. She would have wanted you to move on. It's only been a day, but the sooner you realize that you can't mourn forever, the sooner you'll know that…" He looked at her and she instantly stopped talking.

"I know. Like my dad always said before he died during the Great War two years after I was born. 'Keep moving forward. You can never forget the past, but learning to forgive is the first step to lifelong happiness.' "

"You remember that?" He nodded.

"It's one of the few memories my mom didn't take just before she passed away in front of the gate to Ordona's Spring." Zelda smiled.

"Wow…"

"Yeah…" He grinned slightly and looked at the sky. "Sorry goddesses, but it seems you like taking important things from me. My childhood, my parents, my… friend now as well." Zelda looked at him a moment.

"Forgive…" She whispered. He sighed and turned away to look at the remains of what used to be the Mirror of Twilight.

"I forgive you Midna…"

With that, the pair walked to the stairway that led down to the desert. Time to go home.**Chapter 1**

**The Light Realm**

Midna looked out over her realm from the balcony and sighed, her sunset eyes taking in the view with a serene calm. The perpetual cloud of dusk morphed constantly, creating eerie shadows that danced over everything. At first glance, you wouldn't be able to tell that there had even been anything wrong in the first place, like the war had never happened. Pieces of the Twilight Realm were coming into view again, connecting to the palace grounds and recreating the kingdom in its former image.

As the Princess watched, she couldn't help but think of the Light Realm; of a certain Hylian boy by the name of Link. She missed him so much it would ache, and she often wondered if he'd felt the same way about her, at least before she left nearly six months before.

"_Link, I… See you later." _she'd said. The look on his face just before she'd disappeared altogether was heartbreaking, and at first, she'd thought what she was doing was right. Now she wasn't so sure, in the cold grip of near depression and lack of sleep, she wondered if she even should have left him in the first place.

Those blue eyes, his light brown hair and gentle smile…

And even the stupid green hat. She missed all of them, and she may never get to see them again. _Stupid, stupid, stupid! _She thought to herself.

There came a soft knocking on her bedroom door, and a high pitched female voice followed. "Princess?" Midna sighed and turned.

"Come in," she called, masking any pain or sadness on her face with the stoic look of a ruler. She'd gotten good at it since the mirror shattered.

The door opened, revealing another scantly clad Twili with violet hair and eyes to match. She was slightly shorter than Midna, but there was about a two year age difference between the two.

"Oh," Midna said, her expression softening. "Greetings, Loma." The two had been friends for as long as they could remember, despite the age difference, and Midna couldn't help but drop her royal act whenever she was around.

"Good evening, Princess," she replied, shutting the ebon door behind her. "How are you faring?"

"Fine…" the Princess replied. She walked through the open glass door that led into her room. "And you?"

"I'm doing great, actually. I uh-… I think I've found something you may be interested in." Her violet eyes sparkled as she gazed at Midna happily. Midna smiled and offered her friend a seat on a nearby couch. When they were settled, Midna looked curiously at her friend.

"Well, by all means, show it to me." Loma reached into a pocket located on the inside of her cloak and pulled something almost tan colored out of it. It wasn't very big, whatever it was, but it was covered in Twilian designs and looked wickedly sharp.

"Well, I was on the hunt for a gift for you, as you've seemed a bit distressed lately, and I fell flat on my face in the middle of the castle courtyard." Midna giggled and smiled. She just couldn't help it. "Stop laughing! Anyways, I'd just assumed it was my cloak getting in the way. Apparently, I was mistaken, and as I continued walking something almost florescent caught my eye." She held the object up, gripping it between two blue fingers. "I almost looks like the shard of a broken mirror, but with all the designs on it, it's hard to tell." Midna didn't say anything for a moment, her eyes darting from her friend to the shard. "Uh, you okay?" She asked.

Midna slowly reached for the shard with a trembling hand. Hope was rising inside her.

'_Could it really be?' _she thought. She didn't dare get her hopes up too much, but she couldn't contain some of her excitement.

Midna touched it, and Loma released her grip, dropping it into the Princess' outstretched hand. Midna gasped and tears welled up in her sunset eyes. Her free hand went straight to her mouth.

It was a shard from the Mirror of Twilight.

"Loma…" she managed. Her friend wrapped her arm around the Princess, trying her best to consol her. Midna looked straight into Loma's violet eyes and smiled. "I-I don't know what to say. I-…" Midna's voice cracked.

"Midna, don't cry." Loma said firmly in an almost silly manner. The Twilight Princess took a deep, shuddering breath.

"I can't thank you enough. This… this is the best thing you could have gotten for me." Loma smiled.

"I'm glad you like it Princess, but what exactly is it? It obviously means a lot to you. That is if you don't mind my asking."

"I fear if I talk about it now, I may start bawling." Midna said playfully, wiping a tear from her face. Loma laughed. "It just reminds me of a friend." She stood up and hugged Loma.

"Well then I'm glad I tripped." she said with a smile. With that she left, leaving Midna alone in her chambers.

She walked over to her bed and sat on the royal blue covers, placing the mirror shard in front of her. She looked at her reflection for a moment, her orange hair tied over her chest and her silver circlet glittering near her nose. She smiled sadly and let a tear streak her face, landing on the bed, and then another and another.

This small piece of glass was the closest thing she had to Link besides her memories. Well, that and a scar on the back of her hand he'd given her when he bit her, but being turned painfully into a wolf and dragged into a strange dungeon didn't exactly help with meeting a strange looking Imp with unknown intentions that taunted and teased him. He was scared, to say in the least. "I miss you," she whispered.

Without even realizing it, a single tear landed on the glass surface of the shard. It emitted a bright silver glow that moved the Twilight in the room. The Princess jumped up and pressed her back againsed a nearby wall, startled. The light slowly faded, and Midna stood there waiting for her heart rate to cease racing. She closed her eyes.

Once her shock had waned, the Twilian slowly padded back to her bed. She leaned over the shard and gazed into the eternal depths of its reflection.

Her own reflection disappeared. When she looked hard enough, she saw him; Link. The Princess smiled. He was lying, asleep, on top of the covers on his bed, obviously still in his clothes from the day before. The room was dark, so she figured it must be sometime during the night.

'_He looks so peaceful,' _she thought. She also noticed something different about him. _'He's gotten taller!'_

Without thinking, and most likely without control of her actions, she reached down and touched the smooth surface of the shard, picking it up for a closer look.

The room warped around her, her vision suddenly black. Silver tendrils shot from the Mirror shard and wrapped themselves around her body, concealing her form until she was covered in light. A sense of vertigo hit, and she dropped the shard on what used to be her bed. There was a blinding flash of light that cut through her darkened sight.

"Oof!" she yelped when she landed on something hard and… sandy? She'd landed in the middle of the Mirror Chamber. It was the middle of the night, the moon barely a sliver of silver amongst the millions of stars that danced in the sky. The Mirror Shard had broken in half, split unevenly down the middle. One was next to her face and the other was still in the Twilight Realm.

Slowly, the Princess sat up and rubbed her head, fighting off nausea and slight dizziness. Once she was sure that both feelings had passed, she resumed rising until she was standing. She proceeded to brush sand from her cloak and look around.

Surprisingly, it looked at though the Mirror Chamber was refurbished, the columns gleaming red and the walls rebuilt with intricate patterns of the goddesses and ancient prophesies that had yet to come true. Midna gazed at the paintings for a time before realization dawned on her for the first time.

'_Wait a minute! I'm in the Light Realm!' She chided herself momentarily before smiling with a too-wide grin._

"_Welcome, Twilight Princess," a wispy voice broke through he thoughts. Midna jumped and turned from the wall. In front of every column in the chamber was a sage, excusing one that belonged to Princess Zelda. "Your' grief has brought you here through the last shard of the mirror of Twilight." Midna was too stunned to speak, at a loss for words for what must be the first time in her life. "Was it your wish to return to the Light Realm, Midna?" She walked to the center of the chamber and looked around uneasily._

_I pondered the thought for a moment, gazing at the ghost-like figures that surrounded me. Each of those faceless beings seemed to bore into her, daring her to tell them that it wasn't her wish. With a sigh, she brushed a stray strand of hair from her face. "Yes, though I did not say it aloud I believe we all know it was in my heart all along." She replied, turning her gaze to the floor. The head Sage's ghostly form flickered with amusement._

"_Would you want to stay here with Link and leave the Twilight to your brother, Prince Elrick?" The question startled the Princess._

_Midna had to admit that she would do anything to see that stupid beast again. She would gladly give up her throne, but she wouldn't dare admit that to anyone except maybe to Link himself._

_Well, she had._

_Midna crossed her arms and opened her mouth to begin a long detailed tirade, when the sudden feeling that the Sages emitted told her that no amount of snide or sarcastic comments would waver what each of them already knew to be fact._

"_Yes," she grumbled, agitation and defeat apparent in her voice._

"_Alright then." The Sages voiced in unison. The sun began to rise in the distance, turning the desert sands orange and the pillars in the chamber creating red light that bounced off everything and creating the illusion that Midna's azure skin was a shade of purple._

_The head sage bowed his head. "There is something we neglected to mention." Midna looked at him skeptically. "There is a curse involved with a Twili living in the World of Light." The Twilian narrowed her eyes. "When Zant overtook the throne, the curse lost its effect. You will become a wolf with the passing of the day, and a Twili when the moon rules the sky."_

"_Wha-?" Midna never got to finish her sentence. She began to glow, shrouded in a blanket of blinding light. Her spine shortened and her face lengthened, morphing into a snout. Black and orange fur replaced her skin, slick for running. She sprouted a tail that was covered in red Twilian designs and symbols, and her ringlet became something resembling a collar._

_The Twilian Princess gazed at herself with awe. Turning back to the Sages she growled, rage taking over her entire being._

"_Why didn't you tell me this before?" She barked angrily, not caring if the Sages could understand her. Apparently they could because most of them looked guilty._

"_It had evaded us, and for that we apologize. But you love Link, yes? Well do you think this… transformation would make him think differently about you if her loved you too?" Midna growled. She knew he was right. "He knows what it's like to be a wolf, does he not?"_

"_You're right, I suppose." Midna said._

"_Well, I suggest you find him. His currently resides in Ordon Village deep within the Ordona Province. Please Princess, be safe." With that, the Sages disappeared in a flash of mist, leaving a still ticked Twili standing alone amidst the dim light of the desert dawn._

_.:. .:. .:. .:. .:._

_Whee! An update already? Yay!_

_First off, I know the epilogue is different than what actually happened, particularly with Midna's dialogue in the Mirror Chamber… more or less. But it's a fan fic, so what are ya' gonna do? I dunno when the next update will be._


	2. Chapter Two and Interlude

**Chapter 2: Link**

Midna turned and dashed down the stairway leading out to the Gerudo Desert. Every step had been fixed and painted red, the surface gleaming brighter as the sun rose and kissed its surface. Of course, Midna didn't pay much attention to the view or Arbiter's Grounds because she was intent on finding someone. That handsome face lingered in the Twili's thoughts as she ran. She was finally going to see him again.

All in all, the going was relatively easy, and the Princess was glad to see that most of the Moblin and Bokoblin had disappeared. The ones that were still meandering on the fields were just wandering stupidly, ignoring travelers that they normally would have fought.

Midna still had several paths to Ordon memorized, and after only getting lost once, she finally found the bridge hat led to Ordon Woods. She crossed it happily knowing all too well that Link's house was just ahead.

.:. .:. .:. .:. .:.

"Hey Link! Wake up! Just because it's your day off doesn't mean you can sleep in!" Talo shouted loudly, his hands around his mouth to amplify the sound. He hated it when Link slept in.

"I think that's exactly what it means…" the infant Malo next to him mumbled partly to himself. He was way too… mature for his age; a smart boy fixed in the form of an infant.

As mature as he was, though, he had his trouble seeking moments.

The Hero sat up in his bed and rubbed his tired eyes, stretching his stiff legs and back. "I'd better get up before they start throwing rocks to get my attention… again," he mumbled.

He slowly dragged himself out of bed, leaving the bed sheets crumpled, and changed into a clean set of Ordon clothes. Really, he only wore the Hero's clothes when he was required to go out of the village for one reason or another, which wasn't often. It brought back too many painful memories, and Princess Zelda respected that.

With a sigh, the young Hero closed his eyes for a moment, thinking. About what? His life, Midna, the Twilight Realm, and what he was going to make for sinner all at the same time. His thoughts were only interrupted when a loud scream resounded from outside. He looked up with a start and listened.

"Aiiiiiiy! M-Monster!" one of the children shouted. It was Beth.

"_A monster? Shouldn't all of the monsters disappeared when I killed Ganon?" _Link thought.

"LINK!" They cried. He shot up and searched frantically for his Ordon Sword, which was half hidden beneath his bed. He grabbed it with lightning speed and made a mad dash for the front door, jumping down the several stories in his house with even thinking of the ladders that were _supposed_ to be used.

Outside, the children shrank back as a wolf pawed its way into the small clearing. Normally, the children wouldn't be scared of wolves, but it was the colors on is fur that indicated that this was no ordinary wolf.

"I've never seen a wolf like that…" Malo said calmly, a dreadfully bored expression on his face. Talo ran behind him, trembling. Beth joined him.

"HYAAH!" Link cried, jumping clear over the edge of his house and right in front of the wolf. His sword was drawn and ready, his form instantly taking on a battle stance. The wolf jumped back in surprise before whimpering. It's ebon ears were pressed flat to its skull. Link froze and gazed at it closer for a moment.

"_What? That's no ordinary wolf…" _Link thought. He lowered his sword slightly and gasped, suddenly unaware of anything around him but the wolf.

The strange markings…

The bright colors…

The red eyes…

An image of Midna appeared in his head, but… no, it can't be. She broke the mirror. All the pains of losing her shot through his still groggy mind like a tidal wave, not for the first time mind you, but it still hurt more than any wound he'd ever managed to gain during his travels. Link stood up straight, arms limp and legs shaking with the strain of trying to remain standing. His sword was now pointed at the ground, his grip loosening with every second. Talo said something, but he didn't catch what it was.

Finally he lost his grip on the sword's hilt altogether, letting it hit the ground with a loud clank that echoed of the cliff walls.

"Midna?" Link asked suddenly, unable to hold it back. It looked at him sadly with big sunset eyes and seemed to nod, but he took it as wishful thinking. Link crouched and put a hand out about half the distance between himself and the wolf, coaxing it to some towards him.

"What are you doing, Link?" Talo cried. "Kill it!" Link glared at him before turning back to the wolf.

The wolf crept forward, ignoring Link's hand and Talo's comment and head butted him in the chest. He fell backwards with a gasp, sure that the strange wolf was going to inflict bodily harm unto his flesh, until he realized how stupid that was. It was just showing affection. It licked his face happily, its tail wagging.

"Gah! Okay, okay!" Link cried, wiping slobber and goddess knows what else off his face. The wolf sat back down and cocked its head, looking almost innocent if a wolf could. He smiled and stroked its head.

"Link? Do you know this wolf?" Beth asked, walking up behind him.

The Hero looked into her blue-grey eyes and frowned. "I don't really know. It… it feels like I know it somehow, but…" His voice trailed off. His hand subconsciously traced the turquoise designs on its back.

It followed the same general pattern that was on the Wall of Twilight before he entered it. Link frowned and looked at the collar on its neck. Was it domestic?

"I've never seen a wolf like this before." Talo said loudly. Beth glared at him.

"Do you think you could speak any quieter? Link (and most of the village) don't appreciate the fact that your version of talking is 'off-the-charts' loud." Talo glared at he.

"I'll talk as loud as I want to talk, Missy, and you can't stop me." Talo snapped. Link looked at them skeptically before standing again.

"You are so immature!" Beth said. "When are you going to stop fighting and grow up? And I'm not 'Missy' anything!"

"Since when are you my mother?" Talo cried, throwing his arms into the air. Beth's face turned red.

"When you started acting like a child!"

"I AM a child, numnuts!"

"Guys-…" Link started, but they continued arguing, completely forgetting about the wolf. Link sighed and shrugged.

Kids…

He took this opportunity to sneak away, the wolf following closely at his heels.

.:. .:. .:. .:. .:.

Link gazed at the wolf following him, and it appeared to be almost… protective. It waked right next to him, its flank literally touching his legs. He wondered why the wolf had taken such a liking to him so quickly, and if the designs and colors on its fur had anything to do with it. He smiled and thought of Midna for a moment. He wanted to see her so bad, but he knew he probably wouldn't see her again. The Mirror of Twilight was the only link between the worlds.

Suddenly, the wolf stopped.

"Link? What's going on up there?" The wolf bared its teeth, growling and its fur standing on end.

"Hi Bo." Link said as the rather large mayor walked around the corner. When he saw the wolf, he immediately stopped and backed away.

"Is that thing why the children were screaming?" He asked cautiously. Link nodded and nudged the wolf, hoping it would stop. It did so, though reluctantly and sat down, only loosening its guard slightly. Link sighed and pat its head, causing it to growl with pleasure.

"Yeah, but it won't hurt you unless I tell it to." Link replied, running a hand through his unruly brown hair with a sigh. Bo raised an eyebrow at him. Link chuckled and crossed his arms. "I know, I don't get it either. It just took a liking to me, but… I don't think I've ever seen it before."

"That's odd, indeed," he said. Slowly, he knelt and looked at the wolf, eyeing it carefully, putting a hand out. The wolf reacted instantly, leaping up and baring its teeth again with a deep growl. It snapped at him, and he fell back in surprise.

"Stop that," Link said firmly to the wolf, who sat back down obediently. Bo stared at him for a moment before rising.

"You've never met this wolf before now?" he asked.

"I-… I don't think so, but… it feels familiar somehow. I can't explain it. I guess it just reminds me of someone I spent a lot of time with during the war." The late Hero replied quietly, rubbing the wolf's head lightly for a minute. Bo gazed at him skeptically, like he knew it wasn't the entire truth. Link frowned darkly and sighed again, closing his eyes.

"This person must have meant a lot to you," the Mayor said after a moment. Link merely nodded and began to walk away towards the village, no longer in the mood to converse. The wolf followed closely. "Watch that wolf, Link."

_Why did she leave? She could have stayed here. She could have asked me to go with her. She could have left the mirror so we could visit each other. She just left…_

Link's thoughts drifted throughout the remainder of the day, and he was slowly slipping back into the lovesickness he'd tried so hard to lock away since his Twilight Princess left the Light Realm. He should have known it would come back. The wolf reminded him too much of her, but he didn't have the heart to send it back into the forest. It seemed to have some sort of magnetic field, drawing him to it. Strange, a wolf that would have that effect on people, no?

The Hero tried desperately to keep himself busy, working on the farm and helping out where he could; gathering water for Uli and doing his best to entertain the baby Aayliah, her newest daughter. The wolf just followed around, lazily now that it realized that Link was in no immediate danger in the village.

As the young Ordonian glanced around the village, more vivid memories swam before my eyes, of when he jumped across rooftops and talked to the frogs and cuccos… Why was this happening now, after nearly five months?

"_I found you!" A tiny voice cried. I glanced around, pausing in my attempt to break the shackle on my foreleg. For a moment I saw nothing but the cold stone in the cell I'd been placed in goddess knows how long before. I perked my new wolf ears, listening for a sound. A slight thud resounded from directly behind me, followed by a small giggle, and I whipped around, snapping at whatever it was that thought it was funny to startled me. "Ooh, aren't you scary?"_

_What the heck is that thing? I bared my teeth threateningly, but the intruder didn't even flinch. It smirked and giggled again._

"_Are you sure you want to be doing that; snarling and glaring at me? Oh, that's too bad… I was planning on helping you, if you were nice." I shut my snout and relaxed, narrowing my eyes. "Hee hee! That's MUCH better! You humans are obedient to a fault, aren't you? Oops!" She jumped over an tapped his chin. "But you aren't a human anymore, are you? You're a beast!" That's when I rushed at her, before she could react, and bit her right hand, drawing the slightest amount of blood. She smiled an wiped it on some hay._

That adorable little scar…

"Link!" a voice called through his thoughts. Drawn from the memory and back into reality, he looked around for a moment and spotted Rusl walking towards him. He waved to him.

"Hello, Rusl. Nice to see you again." The wolf next to me almost growled again before I kicked it lightly in warning.

"Hello, Link!" He replied happily, waving.

"You're certainly in a… good mood," Link said with a frown. He didn't usually act like this. Rusl took no notice and grinned.

"I suppose I am." He shrugged. "I came to ask you if you were free tonight. The village is planning to eat together by the lake and you're the only person that hasn't given an answer."

"Oh, I don't know Rusl. I need to look after the wolf, and-"

"Oh the wolf can come if it doesn't eat all of the food," he said quickly. Link didn't like that idea very much. He figured that it didn't do well with a bunch of strangers.

"Rusl-"

"Excellent! See you then!" He walked off with a skip in his step. Link stared after him wide-eyed for a moment. Suddenly, he spun around. "Make sure it's at sunset!" Then he was gone.

"What the heck was that about?" Link asked himself. Shaking his head, he patted the wolf's back and began to walk back to his house. Not surprisingly, Beth, Malo, and Talo were still arguing. For the first time, the late hero noticed Colin standing next to Epona near the path to Ordon woods. He was brushing Epona and giving her the attention that Link usually neglected to give her.

He walked passed him and headed into the woods, down a dirt trail to Ordona's Spring. When they arrived, the wolf immediately left his side for the first time and jumped into the water, spraying water everywhere and sending little pink fairies dashing in every direction to escape the droplets. Link smiled and seated himself on the shore, placing his feet in the cool water and sighing happily. The wolf eventually joined him, and they sat there in the quiet for a long time.

.:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:.

"Where is she? Find her! Turn the palace upside down if you have to!" Prince Elrick shouted at his guards. They shrank away and dashed out of the throne room. He'd made it very clear he wanted to find his sister at all costs, and no living creature in the Twilight Realm would stop looking until he said to. _"Oh Midna, where could you be?" he thought, sitting down in his throne and shaking his head to banish some of the worst possibilities his mind conjured up. None of them left._

_Perhaps she was kidnapped by Zant. He pondered it for a second, and came to the conclusion that the was WAY too stubborn and powerful for that. Besides, Zant was dead. How could it possibly be him? "Where are you?" he muttered again to himself._

"_Prince Elrick," a male voice said, slicing his current thoughts. He looked up glumly as a guard strolled in._

"_Yes?" They were both definitely surprised by how monotone Elrick's voice sounded, as it was nearly impossible for even a Twili male to accomplish, considering how high pitched their voices are._

"_We searched Midna's chambers and found a strange substance scattered everywhere. When the Royal Tutor looked at it, she said it was sand from the Gerudo Desert, with can only be found in the Light Realm." Elrick frowned for a moment and eyed the guard. Wasn't the Mirror of Twilight the only passage to the Light Realm? How could she possibly have gotten there if she broke it?_

… _Scratch that… utterly obliterated it?_

"_Hm, show it to me!" he ordered. So the guard led the Twilight Prince to Midna's room, and sure enough, there was a thin layer of sand coating everything from her bed to the balcony. He gazed around, shocked, and noticed something glowing on her bed. Taking wide strides across the carpet and sand he picked a pillow up and moved it aside, revealing a tan piece of a dreadfully familiar mirror._

"_Din's fire…" He mumbled. Looking into it, he noticed something that caused several feelings to arouse inside of him. He saw a boy, about the age of seventeen, sitting with a beast of peculiar sorts in front of a spring. The beast was covered in strange markings and colors, and the light dweller was just sitting there with it, stroking its back contentedly. Elrick whipped around, suddenly breathing hard and startling the guard. "Do you know what this is?" He cried. The guard opened his mouth to answer but the Prince cut him off. "This is a shard from the Mirror of Twilight! I must speak to the council at once!"_

_He dashed out of the room and began to summon the eight member of the council, not caring where they were or what they were doing. He ordered that each of them meet in the council hall within the hour._


	3. Chapter 3

**The Dream**

Link gazed at the wolf, subconsciously tracing the designs on its back again, his mind wandering, constantly switching between reality and the past. The wolf growled quietly every once in a while when his hand paused.

Suddenly, the wolf shot up and whipped around, startling the poor Hero who ended up in the water with a loud splash. He shook his head and wiped his eyes free of the water and glared at it a minute. "What's the matter?" he asked. The wolf was eyeing a spot in the clearing several feet away, though Link didn't see anything.

"…"

Then he felt it…

It was a sinister presence he recognized from his travels, and there was only one thing or person that could emit such a powerful aura yet feel so familiar… neither living nor dead, but very wise.

"The Shade…" Link whispered, standing up slowly. He looked around, trying to catch a glimpse of the familiar golden light of the wolf, whose pupil-less eyes glowed red as fire. "Now where are you?"

Link knew all too well that the Shade was his ancestor, though he was still trying to get used to the idea. All his life he'd only known Rusl, Uli, Bo, and the rest of the villagers, with the exception of the glimpse he caught of his mother and father when he was two, but he didn't really remember them all that well. He was just too young.

"Link, you sense my presence but you cannot see me?" A scratchy voice asked. Link jumped.

"Shade?"

"Yes, dear boy, but why is it you cannot see me?" Link shrugged, really having no idea what the Shade was talking about.

"Are you in the Sacred Realm?" he asked, thinking maybe he was just talking to his spirit.

"No, you just aren't looking hard enough."

"What do you-?"

"Turn around…" he muttered. Link slumped, realizing how stupid he was, and turned on his heels, only to find himself staring at a large skeleton, a Stalfos Knight. The wolf next to Link turned as well, but it stopped growling. Link was slightly surprised by him, as the Shade usually took him to the Sacred Realm for training, but he didn't think about it for long. The shade took a step forward, causing the boy to step back. "You aren't as observant as you used to be," he chided. Link narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest, transferring his weight onto one leg.

"Fine, but in my defense I'm kind of the retired Hero right now, and I can be lazy if I want to be, thank-you-very-much." The shade shrugged.

"Link, you are in danger. You need to be careful." Link watched him incredulously for a minute. "…You don't believe me."

"Well… It's not that…" His eyes slowly shifted to the strange wolf that stood proudly next to him.

"Link, I cannot tell you what will happen, but something in the near future will cause Hyrule to fall again, something that once again rests on your shoulders." Link's eyes widened. He continued to look down to the wolf and back to the Shade, who really looked like he wanted to say more but was unable to.

The Shade sighed and strode forward again, faster than the late hero could react, and tapped his forehead lightly with a bony finger. Link staggered and fell backwards into the spring water, shivering. Finally, his vision failed him, and he lost his grip everything but the darkness that caused him to fall into a deep sleep.

.:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:.

_Link looked around, dazed and off-balance. There was nothing but darkness, not even his hand visible in front of his face. He blinked, feeling totally blind and shook his head at a sudden queasiness. It felt evil there, not unlike his usual dreamless sleep at night._

_Trying to get a sense of his bearings, he stuck a hand out and tried to take a step forward, carefully and slowly. Sensing nothing in front of him, he continued on, beginning to realize he'd trip over his own feet at best, and there would be absolutely nothing in his way. Soon, things began to show; ebon walls glowing reds and purples with vibrant designs, matching tile that glittered in the half-light of an oddly familiar perpetual dusk, and swarms of maids and servants rushing about, doing their various chores and labor._

"_The Twilight Realm…" Link breathed, blinking several times to make sure all of it was real. It was, technically, and he realized that it had changed a lot since he'd first visited. He could still sense the evil in the air, but it wasn't anywhere near a prominent as it was. The halls that were originally filled with the horrors that Zant had concocted had transformed back into their original Twilian forms, and he gawked (once again) at just how tall they were. He felt puny._

"_Your Highness, slow down! It's improper to run within the walls! Elrick!" Link turned around after jumping at the sudden cry and watched a Twili with long orange hair and red eyes dash down the hall, pursued by a very flustered and out-of-breath maid. Something glittered in his hand, and immediately Link's attention was focused on Elrick, who didn't seem to notice him. What was he holding? The Hero gave chase behind the Twili, the maid having long since given up, and not once was he out of breath. Under normal circumstances, Link knew he would have been crawling on the floor, unable to breath, but in a dream he could run for hours and feel like he'd been sitting for six hours._

_Link soon lost track of where he was, constantly changing course and going through doors that could only be shortcuts. Elrick never faltered though, and obviously knew the way well._

_Finally, the Twili dashed into an empty hall, a large silver door set into the black walls. It was annoyingly bright after all of the dark colors. Link looked after the Twili as he opened the huge door just enough for himself to slither through, and quickly looked around before closing it almost silently behind him. A very annoyed Hylian was left in the hall, glaring at the door as a sound clicked from its innards, indicating that the door had been locked from the inside. Nothing more was heard._

_Frustrated, Link walked up to the door and tried to find a keyhole or weak spot on the door's exterior structure, but there was nothing; no imperfections anywhere on the door. Link stuck a hand out to try to push the door open, maybe in the hopes that the clicking of the lock was a trick, or just to make him feel better. To his astonishment, his arm went right through the door as though he'd stuck his hand in water. "That's different…" he muttered, looking at his hand. He walked through, feeling as though it was nothing at all, and emerged in a large hall. A long table was set in the center, surrounded by eight people, Elrick included, who was sitting at the head. Every other Twili was either bowing or curtsying._

_Ignoring proper formalities Elrick began to speak, his powerful voice startling Link as he hid behind a nearby column (not that he could be seen anyways…)_

"_Council!" Everyone rose and seated themselves. "I'm sure you are aware of Midna's disappearance?" Link's eyes widened, suddenly engrossed._

"_We are aware that your sister has disappeared, Prince Elrick, and I suppose you've called us because you have found a clue as to her whereabouts?" A young woman asked, her violet hair falling delicately around her face. Prince Elrick nodded._

"_There is sand from the Gerudo Desert in her room! You know we have no earth of any kind here, so it's puzzling to me. More proof, I found a piece of the Mirror of Twilight concealed by a pillow lying on her bed! It is my belief that she is in the Light Realm!" He held the shard up for everyone to see, and Link pondered possibilities. 'Midna is in the Light Realm… does the wolf have anything to do with it?' He thought, turning his attention back to the council, people muttering to one another. Finally, a lithe woman with red hair and yellow eyes rose._

"_Your Highness, one shard isn't enough. The whole mirror has to be put together, but she destroyed it."_

"_The HOW, may I ask, did the sand appear in her room, Aefora?" he inquired loudly, his white knuckled fist smashing into the table. Aefora remained silent and bowed her head. Finally, she spoke._

"_I did not mean to fully disregard your theory, Elrick, but I personally find it difficult to believe that the just left… to the Light Realm of all places." Elrick narrowed his eyes and immediately, Aefora sat down._

"_And," a chubby man with blue hair piped up. "How could she have possibly gotten there? It is highly unlikely that a single shard possesses the power to fully warp her there, if at all." Elrick sighed inwardly and wiped some beads of sweat off his forehead._

"_I see your point, Walken, but… where else could she have gone? I've had the entire Realm searched, and no other trace of her has been found. This is the only lead we have, and I'd bet my own life that's where she is." Walken looked right into his eyes and frowned. "Not to mention the sand, which proves without a doubt that the portal was opened somehow."_

_Link watched and listened as the argument continued. It was easy to tell that the Prince was becoming impatient with the Council's stubborn but vain attempts to waver what he knew was true. His mind clicked. The wolf must be Midna. It definitely explained why it had taken a liking to him so quickly, and its oddly protective behavior. It also exclaimed her dislike for Bo, the odd colors and designs on its fur, and why it didn't do anything when Shade appeared._

"_Please refrain from arguing further, Council. Elrick is correct." A whispering voice said, seemingly coming from nowhere but everywhere. Link froze and his skin blanched for a moment. He recognized that voice, and it wasn't a pleasant sound to hear right now._

"_Oh goddesses, no…" Link mumbled, gazing in the corners of the room. Elrick looked up and frowned, the entire hall completely silent._

"_Who's there?" He shouted at the top of his lungs. A laugh fit for a maniac, and so he was, resounded from the left side of the room, and cold yellow eyes appeared in the shadows, glowing brightly. Elrick bit his lip to keep from gasping in surprise and narrowed his eyes._

"_Zant?" He couldn't keep the surprise out of his voice as he said the word, and immediately he regretted even speaking at all. Zant strode forward leisurely, flanked by two shadow beasts and bowing deeply, obviously exaggerating, and smiled almost idiotically at the members of the council. "What-? How are you even alive?"_

"_We all have secrets, Elrick, and that is one I intend to keep to myself, thank you," he replied, stopping at the foot of the table and leaning over it. Link widened his eyes. Why was Zant back? If he was back, did that mean…?_

"_B-But you're supposed to be dead!" Walken stuttered. Zant frowned._

"_Really Walken, is that what you thought?" he asked in his most mocking voice. Leaning further over the table, he was mere inches from Walken's face. "Do I LOOK dead to you?" Nobody answered, nobody moved. Walken stared into Zant's face, obviously uncomfortable, and took shallow and shaky breaths. Elrick finally managed to find his voice and slowly made his way to Zant's side of the table._

"_I don't believe you are welcome here, cousin." The Prince crossed his arms. Zant merely smiled and jumped to the other side of the table, over the heads of the council members._

"_And what exactly are you going to do, Elrick? How can you stop me? Are you even going to attempt it?" Zant was getting to him, and Link could tell. Slowly, the Hero tried to back away further into the shadows, only finding out that something bound his feet to the floor. He couldn't move from the spot. Now he only prayed to the goddesses that he wouldn't be seen… if he could be seen for that matter. "Nothing to say?" Zant asked sweetly. Fighting to remain level-headed, Elrick narrowed his eyes further, until they were barely slits. He opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came out. The council members were also at a loss for words._

"_Council, on to the reason I'm here in the first place," he said, hopping onto the table and sitting cross-legged in front of Aefora, who pushed her chair back as far as she could. "Midna is missing, yes? That's what this meeting was called for. She is in the Light Realm, you know, and the curse has been placed on her." He grinned._

'_Curse?' Link thought to himself._

"_Did you have something to do with it?" Elrick asked through gritted teeth. Zant nodded and sighed._

"_Oh, it was easy really." Zant said. "But I'm in no mood right now for explanations, so let's begin, shall we?" He disappeared in a flash and was nowhere to be seen for a moment, before he reappeared behind Elrick, gripping the Prince's hands tightly behind his back._

"_Let go of me!" he shouted, thrashing in the grip. Zant chuckled and squeezed harder. The male members of the council shot up, various knives, swords, and other weapons appearing in their hands. Zant raised a hand, a dark orb forming quickly. He threw it, hitting the table dead center and blinding everyone in the room, including Link._

"_I'm going to take the throne again," he said, loudly. Members of the council sat dazed in their chairs, their eyes glazed over like they were dreaming. "When I take this Realm, I will move on to the Light Realm. I'm sure Link will be happy to see me!" Link glared at him from behind his hiding place._

_Suddenly, Prince Elrick began to wince in Zant's grip, his strength slowly sapping to the point where he was almost on the floor. His expression contorted into a look of pain, skin darkened and face elongated in that of a Shadow Beast's. Zant laughed and waved a hand over the entire council, who turned swiftly into Shadow Beasts as well. He turned to leave the room, but abruptly whipped around on his heel to face Link, smiling toothily._

"_Oh I almost forgot," he said happily. "I've forgotten to address you, HERO. You'd best be prepared." He laughed, and darkness surrounded Link once more._

_.:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:._

_Link opened his eyes groggily, finding himself staring at the wolf. He was still lying in Ordona's Spring but the sun was setting now, turning the sky brilliant shades of orange, red, and yellow. He sat up slowly, so as not to fall over again, and looked around. The shade was gone, the ominous presence no longer with it. It was just him, the Wolf, and the tranquil waters of the spring, gurgling softly as it spilled endlessly from father into the depths of the forest._

_Once Link could think again about his dream he looked at the Wolf, its bright red eyes boring into him with an unwavering, unblinking gaze. He reached out and stroked behind its ears, receiving a lick in return. 'This has to be Midna,' he thought. Those red eyes seemed overwhelmingly familiar now, and it was inevitable. Perhaps it had nodded earlier when he asked. "Midna?" he asked quietly, his voice no more than a whisper like the breeze on a spring day in Hyrule Field. She hopped up and tackled him, suddenly very happy that he had finally figured it out. Link smiled. "You're finally back…" He didn't care that she was a beast, a wolf. All he cared about was finally seeing her again, knowing that she was near him. In all his life, he'd never felt happier than he was now. The only thing ruining it was the mixture of emotions about Zant coming back, revived and alive as ever. He seemed a little too cheerful for Link's liking, like he had a plan, a good one, and he knew it was going to work._

_They had to be careful._

_They gazed into each other's eyes for a moment, taking each other in and seemingly communicating through thoughts, from the point of view of those who would be watching anyways. Suddenly, she doubled over, if a wolf could, and began to pant fitfully. "Mid-" Link started. She howled loudly, her back straight as an arrow and nose at the sky. Link sat back and watched fearfully, water splashing around him as he shifted in his soaking wet clothes. The sound of her howl was heartbreaking, and Link looked horrified and intrigued at the same time._

_When the howl finally came to an end, she whipped around and stared at the rising moon, twilight taking the place of the day. Her form glittered for a moment, like the stars on a cloudless night, before the brightness increased, brighter and brighter, until even Link had to shield his eyes before he went blind. Then… nothing. No sounds, no movements, no nothing. Silence ensued, and it took some time before Link even dared to look. Link uncovered his eyes, his hand slowly moving away from his face and dropping into the water. Before his mind could process what he was seeing, the form in front of him spoke._

"_I do believe that, as you Hylians seem to do when you greet someone, you say 'hi' or nice to see you." Link's jaw literally dropped, his mouth opening and closing like a fish._

"_Midna?" he cried finally, his voice working again. She smiled._

"_That's my name, but don't wear it out." He didn't say anything for a moment, a long moment. They simply looked at each other, Midna in amusement and Link in utter disbelief. "Well, say something! Anything!"_

"_Uh-…" he managed. Midna rolled her eyes and smiled. "H-How did you really get here?" He asked finally, remembering the Mirror Shard in his dream._

"_Well," she said. "I believe it started when my friend tripped over a piece of Mirror and fell on her face." Link smiled. She continued her story, every detail and word spoken until this point, including the curse. When she finally finished, Link's gaze turned to the water in the spring._

"_Wow…" he said. "So the curse happens to every Twili then? I don't remember it happening to Zant when he came here."_

"_It's supposed to, but when he used Ganon's powers to turn me into an imp, it didn't affect me like it should have. Zant was already using a cursed power to keep himself in his true form." Link nodded._

"_Seems plausible." Midna scooted closer until she was literally in his face, smiling._

"_I believe you have something to tell me now." Link could feel her breath on his skin, making it prickle, and he tried not to be as aware of how close she was. Then it occurred to him what she had just said, and those words struck him cold like the tip of a dagger. She leaned back and frowned when his expression darkened. "What did Shade show you?" He didn't reply, his gaze dropping to the ground. Midna would be heartbroken when she found out what had happened. "Link!"_

"_You aren't going to like it," he said gravely. She frowned further and nodded for him to continue. "He showed me a vision of the Twilight Realm, but I'm not sure if it is from the future… or from right now." He paused, remembering. "Since when did you have a brother?" Midna scowled at him and punched his arm. He grunted, seeing she didn't want to talk about anything until she heard the news. "Anyways, he called a council meeting concerning your disappearance, using the shard and some sand from the desert as his proof that you were here in Hyrule._

"_They argued about it for awhile, but they knew Elrick's proof was too good for it to be anything else. Then…" he paused again, pondering the right words to drop the bombshell on the Princess. Eh… best go simple. "Zant appeared and turned the entire council into Shadow Beasts." Midna said nothing, her mouth slightly ajar. Link held one of her hands comfortingly for a moment. "Midna, I'm so sorry."_

"_No…" she muttered, ripping her hand from his grip and jamming it angrily into the water, creating a large splash that soaked them further. She shot up and began pacing, her head in her hands. "No, no, no! The council, my brother! They're all Shadow Beings and it's al my fault!" Her cloak clung to her body and she walked back and fourth. Link slowly stood, water spilling off his legs, and placed a hand on her arm. She turned to look at him with tear-filled eyes._

"_Midna, there is still a chance. If you had stayed, you would've met the same fate as the rest of them. Look at the bright side for a moment. You're here now, and we can stop Zant like we did before, perhaps even for good this time. We can save your Realm again. We can save your brother." Midna looked down._

"_I don't think it will be that easy this time, Link. He obviously has a plan, and we need to choose our actions carefully, unless we want to be squashed like bugs." Link looked up at her, his face an emotionless mask. (At least he'd grown some; he was almost her height now. Talk about a growth spurt.)_

"_We have to try." He removed his hand from her arm and smiled. "You know what?" He asked suddenly._

"_What?" Midna asked, sensing his change of mood._

"_I think we need to talk about this later, after dinner at my house." Midna smiled and blushed violet. "Oh… um… awkward… you can have the bed if you want… I can take the fl-" She shushed him with a finger, and his face grew hot. "Sorry… Anyways, I want to introduce you to the village."_

"_Men… always thinking with their stomachs," she stated. Link smiled and took her hand, leading her out the gate. Hand-in-Hand, they walked back to Ordon Village, taking their time._

_.:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:._

_EEE! Chapter three, peoples! I plan to have the next chapter up by the end of this weekend actually, so… yeah!_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**Ordon**

**("Men… always thinking with their stomachs," she stated. Link smiled and took her hand, leading her out the gate. Hand-in-Hand, they walked back to Ordon Village, taking their time.)**

**As they walked, they talked about what had happened since the last time they saw each other. Midna explained how much her kingdom has changed since Zant usurped the throne, how all the different parts of the kingdom were coming back together in the darker form of Hyrule. Link only had the dream to talk about.**

"**I'm glad to hear the Twilight is back to normal," Link said, squeezing her hand. She smiled.**

"**Well, I wish you could have seen it. It's a shame you had to see it in the state it was, all dark and dreary." Midna sighed and shook her head. "And I can't believe I'm even related to him." Link looked at her a moment.**

"**Family relations mean nothing. Look how different you are; you're sweet and a good ruler. He made his choice, a bad one. Your brother seems like a good ruler too." Midna smiled again and laughed.**

"**You'd like each other. You're similar in many ways…" By this time, they were in the clearing just outside of Link's house. Midna stopped and looked down the trail to Ordon Village, biting her lip nervously. Link nudged her arm. "Link, maybe this isn't a good idea. What if they realize my people caused the war?"**

"**First of all," Link said. "Your people didn't start it; Ganondorf did. They were merely under his influence, and Zant is no exception to that. None of this would have happened if Ganon didn't come. Second, if I say I trust you then I'm sure they will too. The only person I'm worried about is-…"**

"**I-Ilia?" Midna asked. He nodded and looked down at the ground.**

"**She's been a bit… protective of me lately. I don't know how to tell her I only think of her as just a friend." Ilia almost always spent all her free time around him unless she was busy. Tonight she was helping Beth and her parents make food for the village that night, and she couldn't stay with him. He was relieved for that, because he usually didn't have the heart to tell her to go away.**

**Midna sighed and looked down the trail again. "She seems nice enough though. From what I saw during your quest, she thinks a lot of you." Link smiled.**

"**Thanks… you ready?" Midna hesitated slightly but nodded taking his arm in hers and taking a slow breath. Link rolled his eyes. "So dramatic, Princess." She glared at him.**

"**I'm just-"**

"**Nervous? Don't be. It'll be fine, Midna." Midna narrowed her eyes. She was stubborn, defiant, and sometimes rude, and she knew that, but nervous? Oh ho no, he did NOT just go there. "Now," he continued. "If I'm any later, the village will never forgive me." As he turned to the village, something in a bush rustled.**

"**What was that?" Midna asked.**

**.:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:.**

"**I wonder where Link is," Ilia said, glancing in the direction of his house. "You said he'd be here, right Rusl?"**

"**He said he would. Perhaps he lost track of the time or the wolf ran off," Rusl said with a shrug. Ilia glared at him.**

"**And you're positive?" He nodded and put a piece of bread in his mouth. Ilia looked at her father and stood. "Well I'm going to go look for him."**

"**Ilia, quit smothering the boy," Bo said. She ignored him and took a long stride down the trail, away from the table with the villagers all sitting around it.**

"**Can I come?" Talo asked.**

"**No," Ilia called. "I'll be back in a minute." Bo sighed.**

"**What am I going to do with her?" Ilia stomped up the trail as fast as she could. It was unlike Link to be late, and she hated it when he was. She hoped he wasn't out riding Epona; the poor horse needed to rest after working on the farm. She continued walking, her mind set on finding the Hero, until she heard a voice coming from the clearing ahead. It was a voice she didn't recognize, high pitched and loud, giving off a definite sense of power. Curious, she crept up behind a bush and listened.**

"**Nervous? Don't be. It'll be fine, Midna." Ilia frowned. That was Link. But who was he talking to? "Now, if I'm any later, the village will never forgive me." As Ilia tried to lift her head up to see who Link was taking to, her hand brushed the leaves, making them rustle through the quiet.**

"**What was that?" Midna asked cautiously.**

"**Who's there?" Link called. His eye caught sight of something white through the dark green of the bush and he took a step towards it. Midna noticed it too. Ilia, realizing she had been seen, slowly stood and brushed her shirt and pants off. "Oh, it's Ilia." His voice held a slight tone of annoyance at the thought of someone eavesdropping on them, Ilia noticed. No matter.**

"**Hi Link," Ilia said, forcing a half-hearted smile onto her face as she looked at Midna.**

"**How long were you sitting there?" he questioned, completely ignoring the greeting.**

"**I just got here actually. We were wondering where you were because you never came." Link sighed and crossed his arms. "I see I've found you. And who is she?" She motioned to Midna with a hand. Link motioned for the Twili to join them.**

"**This is Midna. Midna, this is Ilia." Midna smiled warmly, forgetting to be nervous, hoping to make a good impression and stuck her hand out for a hand shake.**

"**Nice to finally meet you Ilia." Ilia, however, narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. Midna frowned slightly and put her hand back down. "Uh, Link's told me a lot about you." Well, it wasn't a total lie. She just knew Ilia from the quest, but she knew Ilia loved Epona and stuff like that.**

"**Well I haven't heard anything about you," she snapped. "Link?"**

"**She is the wolf from earlier," he explained. "But I met her during my quest. She… um, left for awhile afterwards." Ilia glared at them, feeling slightly betrayed.**

"**What exactly is she?" Midna couldn't help but look slightly offended, not necessarily at the question but at the tone in her voice when she asked it. This was not going too well.**

"**She isn't from here-"**

"**Obviously," Ilia snapped. "Get to the point!"**

"… **but you wouldn't know where she's from. She's from the Twilight Realm." Ilia looked at Midna and Link, who were towering over her, and she turned back to Ordon.**

"**Well the village is expecting you Link, so hurry up!" With that she ran back down the dirt trail angrily, her bare feet kicking dirt into the air with every step. Link sighed, looking after her.**

"**She's not happy," he said. "At least you tried, Midna." She nodded sadly. Link grabbed her hand and led her down to the village. "Well, I need to introduce you to everyone else now, yes?"**

"**I suppose…"**

**Link knew how Ilia felt about him. She'd told him many times, even when they were little, and he never hesitated to tell her he just didn't fancy her like she thought he did. She always thought he was kidding though and continued doing whatever it was she was doing. He had hoped maybe Ilia and Midna could get along, because it certainly would have made everyone's lives easier. Midna didn't need to be yelled at here after just leaving the Twilight Realm either.**

**Midna glanced at Link, who looked a bit pissed at Ilia.**

"**Ilia? Where are you going?" a voice called. That was Bo.**

"**I'm going home!" she snapped angrily.**

"**Ilia! Did you find him?" a voice asked. Midna recognized that as Talo's unmistakable loud voice. Talo didn't get a response from Ilia, who continued her rampage through Ordon Village to her house across the river at the end, near the farm, storming in and slamming the door behind her. The entire village fell into a sort of shocked silence, the kind no living person wants to be caught in. We walked out of the trail just then, but nobody noticed us. Link spoke up at least, breaking the uncomfortable silence that had the village in its cold grip.**

"**Yeah, she found me…" Everyone turned to look at him, and seeing Midna, sudden understanding flashed over their features, as if to say 'that explains so much.' "… and I don't think she's very happy about it."**

"**Link," Rusl said. "Is she why Ilia-"**

"**Yes, but she exploded on her own." Link gestured to Midna. "People of Ordon, this is Midna. Midna, this is Ordon Village." She glanced around, glad he didn't use her title. It probably would have made things more uncomfortable.**

"**Hi guys," was the brilliant greeting she came up with. She reprimanded herself mentally for suddenly acting nervous. Bo stood and walked up to the pair, gazing up at Midna. "I uh… I hope I didn't ruin everything you had planned," she continued. Bo smiled, and Link squeezed her hand.**

"**Miss Midna, you ruined nothing. I'm sorry if Ilia said anything to offend you. She tends to… overreact sometimes. In any case, welcome to Ordon."**

"**Thank you."**

"**Would you like to sit?" Bo asked.**

"**I'd like that, thank you," Midna said. Link led her to Ilia's and his spot at the table, across from Bo, and sat down. Now everyone except Ilia was present; Link and Midna, Bo, Fado, Rusl and Uli, their son Colin and daughter Rose, Pergie and Jaggle, their sons Malo and Talo, Hanch and Sera and their daughter Beth. Nobody touched their food, gazing at Midna curiously.**

"**So Midna," Rusl said, making conversation. "If you don't mind my asking, what are you?" Midna smiled, glad he didn't sound as rude as Ilia. Link sighed with relief at seeing Midna calm a bit.**

"**I'm not sure you know of my race, but I'm a Twili." Rusl nodded.**

"**So you are from the Twilight Realm?" Bo asked. The question startled both Link and Midna because very few people knew much of anything to do with the Mirror of Twilight, or Midna and her people for that matter. It was, more or less, a lost race to the Hylians and other races in Hyrule.**

"**Yes," Link answered finally. "How did you know? Not many people know of it."**

"**I know more than you give me credit for, lad!" Bo said. Nobody said anything for a moment before Bo continued. "But I heard the Mirror to your realm was broken somehow. How did you end up here?" Midna gazed at the mayor for a moment.**

"**It's… complicated. There was a small piece of the mirror itself that warped me here, but I soon found out about a curse among the Twili Tribes; wolf by day and Twili by night. It's why I was a wolf earlier, and Link didn't know until I changed back in front of him in Ordona's Spring." She was careful not to mention the true reason for returning, just to see Link again.**

"**Did you meet during the war?" Colin asked.**

"**Colin!" Rusl snapped.**

"**It's fine Rusl," Link said with a grin. "Yeah, I met her towards the very beginning actually, soon after we were kidnapped, though she didn't look quite like she does now." Midna punched his arm. "Ouch!"**

"**You certainly didn't look like yourself either, wolf boy!" she said.**

"**Wolf boy?" Bo asked curiously, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.**

"**Do you remember that wall that closed off the road to Faron's Province?" Link asked.**

"**You mean the black one with all the designs on it and emitted an oddly calming aura?" Rusl asked. Link shrugged. "That thing still creeps me out when I think about it."**

"**Well," the hero continued, "in my state of half-consiciousness, considering I was bludgeoned in the head, (that's beside the point), I was dragged into it. It was literally the Twilight Realm, only in Hyrule. Most who are exposed to pure Twilight become spirits, unknowing to what is happening around them, but I became a wolf. I woke up about three days later in a cell, when she appeared and helped me escape."**

"**You still owe me," she mumbled. Link rolled his eyes.**

"**Riiiiight, okay Midna. And what of me running non-stop for an hour to Hyrule Castle to see Zelda when you were dying on my back?"**

"**You would have saved me anyways," she said, lifting her chin. "You needed my help."**

"… **you're right, but still."**

"**So you admit it!" Midna cried.**

"**Nope," Link responded.**

"**So you've been a wolf before too, then?" Talo asked, cutting in. The pair stopped bickering and looked at the child for a moment. "That's so COOL! What does it feel like? How different is it? What color was your fur? What did you eat?**

"**Talo!" Jaggle said. "Slow down and let them answer."**

"**It's definitely a change," Midna said.**

"**But you get used to it quickly," Link added. "It begins to feel natural. You almost feel powerful, turning into an animal like that." Talo smiled.**

"**I wish I was a wolf…"**

"**You asked what color his fur was?" Talo nodded vigorously. The rest of the villagers looked thoroughly interested as well, with the exception of Malo who had his usual bored expression on his chubby face. "He was silver, and he had a design on his forehead. Even his earrings morphed with him."**

"**Earrings on a wolf," Link muttered, crossing his arms and shaking his head. "Must have been strange to see that."**

"**I'm sure you weren't thinking about it at the time. Too busy worrying over your quest I'm sure." Uli said. Link nodded. It was silent for a moment, wind high above rustling the trees as it picked up. The stars flickered in the sky like fireflies, blinking in and out of view almost too quickly to actually see. The sky was inky black, the moon not yet within our line of sight. Finally, Bo stood.**

"**I think we should all hit the hay. Midna, it was a pleasure to meet you." He winked at Link, who blushed.**

"**Do you need a place to stay?" Uli asked. "We have an extra bed, if you'd like." Midna looked at Link a moment, who blushed harder and looked at the ground. Midna couldn't imagine why. It wasn't THAT awkward if you thought about it. Eh, he was a boy.**

"**I was going to Link's actually, who kindly offered before. Thank you though." Uli nodded and stood, ushering Colin back to their house. Soon only Link and Midna were left. "Let's go, Wolfie. I want to talk to you."**

**.:. .:. .:. .:. .:.**

**Sweet. Merciful. Din. 0_o Guys, I'm sooooo sorry about this boring chapter. It's half-assed and stupid and boring and… I don't need to go on. I've had MAJOR writer's block to mix with a broken collar bone, and the two DO NOT mix well. I probably wrote and rewrote this chapter twenty times if not more, and it just got worse and worse. Finally, I just wanted to get this little bit over with. I'm sorry if I disappointed you.**

**Here, you all get cookies and llamas! *throws llamas and various cookies* I promise I'll have the next chapter up by Sunday since Spring Break is coming up. Yay! More writing time!**


End file.
